Japan

Yes. Indian citizens need a tourist visa, applied for through an authorised centre. Apply three to four weeks before travel, and check the current rules before you book.

Ten days covers Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Kyoto and Osaka at an easy pace. Seven works for a highlights trip, and fourteen adds Hiroshima and the countryside.

It can be good value. Business hotels, rail passes and set-lunch menus keep costs sensible, while ryokan stays and fine dining are the splurges.

Late March to April for cherry blossom and November for autumn colour are the most beautiful, and busiest. May and October are calm and comfortable.

Yes. Signs in stations are in English, trains are punctual, and a translation app handles menus. We also arrange transfers for each leg.

Direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Tokyo take around nine to ten hours. One-stop routes via Southeast Asia take longer.